FBI assists Ukraine in probe into journalist’s death — State Department

At the crime scene

WASHINGTON, July 21. /TASS/. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) assists the Ukrainian law enforcement agencies in investigating the killing of renowned journalist Pavel Sheremet, said a statement by US Department of State spokesman John Kirby on Wednesday.

"We welcome the statements by the police and prosecutor general that the act will be fully investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has begun to assist Ukrainian authorities with their investigation," John Kirby wrote in Statement on the Death of Pavel Sheremet circulated on Wednesday.

"We are shocked and saddened by the killing of Ukrainska Pravda journalist Pavel Sheremet in a car bombing in Kyiv," he said.

"Mr. Sheremet, a Belarusian citizen, served as an example to journalists in the region through his courageous and tenacious reporting. He played a crucial role in Ukraine’s democracy, reporting on issues important to the public, including corruption and governance," the statement went on.

"Mr. Sheremet’s killing must not be tolerated in a free and democratic society," Kirby wrote.

Sheremet, who worked for Ukrainskaya Pravda was killed by in a car blast that shook central Kiev early Wednesday morning. Kiev police have preliminarily classified the crime as premeditated murder.

Sheremet was born in Minsk (Belarus) on November 28, 1971. He worked for a long time in Russia, getting the Russian citizenship in 2000.